The College News
/
VOL. XXIV, No. 19
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1938
Copyright TRUSTEES OF
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE, 1938
PRICE 10 CENTS
Hubener Lectures
On Heroic Exorcism
In Beowulf Legend
Traditional Germanic Heroes
Are Thought to be Actual
Historic Figures
<3RENDEL REPRESENTED
AS MALIGNANT "GHOST
Music Room, March 21.�The le-
gends of Siegfjied, Beowulf, and Her-
acles are actual histories of famous
primitive exorcists, stated Dr. Gustav
Hubener, in his second lecture at
Bryn Mawr.- Only this explanation,
he believes, will account for both the
similarities and the discrepancies of
their sagas.
Previous research has tried to prove
that all three were variations of some
common Indo-Germanic folk-tale about
a hero of supernatural power who pur-
sued a monster to a cave and killed it
there. However, Dr. Hubener pointed
out, the whole tone of the sagas is
not mythological, but historical. More-
over, there is no resemblance in the
heroes and the proper names, such as
occurs in the different versions of the
Hynd Home legend. Instead, each
hero is a distinct personality in a defi-
nite epoch and a different country.
"The heroic battles against the demon,
therefore, seem to point back to real
life�to an�^wsting European custom
of exorcism."
Furthermore, without these sagas,
the Indo-Germanic culture is the only
one that lacks a literature of exorcism.
Among all primitive people, it stands
for the recovery of self-control over
fear and hallucination by means of
spiritual authority. In Bengal, the
devil inhabiting the sufferer is beaten
until he declares himself ready to
leave. In Africa and India, he is
propitiated with sacrifices. China,
however, provides the closest parallel
to the sagas. A Chinese priest lay-
ing a ghost first names the demon,
then threatens him, and finally attacks
him with a ceremonial carved peach-
wood sword, bound in red and adorned
with magic inscriptions. This is rec-
ognized to have no real significance as
a weapon. Its power is purely mag-
ical and psychological.
This custom may explain the
weapons that Beowulf takes against
Grendel's mother, although he himself
realizes that devils are unreal "living
corpses" and "do not heed weapons."
In fact, during his first struggle with,
the evil spirit he is wholly unarmed.
"Waiting in the dark hall," said Dr.
Hubener, '"his expectation and panic
led to hallucinations; he saw Grendel
enter. Then his pride made him revolt
in frenzy, | fear was overcome, and the
demon withdrew." The detail of the
severed arm, Dr. Hubener traced back
to the ancient superstition that if the
arm is cut from a corpse, its ghost
will be deprived of further power. He
believes that the original Beowulf,
failing to conquer "Grendel" entirely,
went to his grave and mutilated him.
Jtajhis .second fight swithv Grendel's
mother, Beowulf, since the danger is
greater, takes the magic sword of the
Court Thyle, whose office was to ex-
pel demons. It was his own failure
against Grendel, said Dr. Hubener,
which explains his otherwise inexplica-
Contlnued on Pag* Six
LEAGUE MUSICALE WILL
HAVE VARIED PROGRAM
Graduate Fellows to Work
In Greece and England
Cum Laude Averages, Junior Year
Awards Announced
Goodhart Auditorium, March 18.�
Miss Park announced in chapel the
award of the two graduate European
fellowships, and the list of sunder-
graduates who have an average of 8ft
or above.
Delight Tolles, fellow in the Greek
department this year, will receive the
Mary E. Garrett European Fellow-
ship. Miss Tolles graduated from
Vassar in 1935, took her M.A. at
Bryn Mawr in 1936, and has been
Scholar in Greek (1936-'37) and Fel-
low in Greek (1937-'38). She will
use the fellowship to pursue her stu-
dies in the field of the Greek house-
hold ^cult, and for that purpose will
attend the American School of Classi-
cal Studies in Athens next year. She
plans also to. travel in the Mediter--
ranean to ' gather important archeo-
logical material.
The Fanny Bullock Workman Fel-
lowship is awarded this year to Mary
Margaret Taylor. She studied at
Mount Holyoke before coming to Bryn
Mawr, receiving her A.B. there in
1935 and her M.A. in 1936. She plans
to carry on research in the Public
Record Office in London to complete
her Ph.D. thesis, which is a study of
the justices of the peace in Cambrige-
shire in the fourteenth century.
Miss Park said that she will report
later the decisions of the Board of Di-
rectors in regard to the plans for the
new library wing and for the re-
modeling of Dalton to house the de-
partments of Biology, Physics and
Mathematics. These plans are matur-
ing rapidly, so that "in the coming
year I think we shall not need to
travel to be dazed by what we see
around us!" The new dormitory has
been named after the first president
of the college, James E. Rhoads, and
will henceforth be known as Rhoads
North and South.
Miss Park announced the names of
students who have been recommended
by their departments for the junior
year abroad: For the junior year in
France�Jane Anne Jones, Janet Rus-
sell, Jean Flender Small, Barbara
Anderson Steel; for the junior year
in Germany�Ruth Marie Lilienthal,
Ruth Mary Penfield, Barbara Ander-
ConUnued "on Pace Six
Phenomenologist is
Against Self-Assertion
Hubener's Lecture on Husserl
And Schelcr Deals With
Ethics, State
On Friday, April 8, the Bryn
Mawr League is giving a musicale for
its own benefit It will begin at 8.30,
and the price of admission will prob-
ably be 25 cents, although Jane Gam-
ble, who is managing the entertain-
ment, has been too busy to worry
about business details.
The varied program includes a
dance by Arsena Arroyo,- a Spanish
graduate student, and new songs by
the German Club, under the!direction
of Nanette Beck. Patricia Robinson,
Gordon Grosvenor, and Harriet Hutch-
ison are the pianists. In addition
there will be one violin solo by Doro-
thy Auerbach, and -tydia Lyman will
sing.
Common R.oom, March 18.�"The
school of Phenomenology," said Pro-
fessor Hubener, in a lecture sponsored
by the Philosophy department, "gre"w
up in opposition to the growing spirit
of individual and collective self-as-
sertion," of which the strongest ex-
emplification is to be found in the
philosophy of Nietzsche. M-f. Hiibe-
ner spoke mainly on the work of
Scheler in Ethics, but felt it necessary
to show the background of his work
in the general principles of Pheno-
menology.
The early Phenomenologists recog-
nized the danger of a merely biologi-
cal theory of state and attempted to
establish a substitution of high spirit-
ual values. The work of Edmund
Husserl contains the belief in the
ontological meaning of absolute truth
based on the understanding of logic
and mathematics as absolute and not
presupposing thought. Husserl "re-
discovered the existence of ideas, of
an invisible, absolute world of mean-
ing," in, which *��� w'd-i^f -jjki&t*
participates. The outside world is
realized as other than ourselves, sim-
ply given as existing, and it belongs
to the essence of perception that we
see it as such. The laws of essence
are realized by intuition as in the
structure of things; they are not
derived from a study of fact.
Philosophy has only the task of
making people receptive to the mean-
Continued on Pas* Fir*
COLLEGE CALENDAR
Wednesday, March 23�Ger-
man Movie. Goodhart, 8.30.
Friday, March'25�Snjing Va-
cation begins, 12.45.
Monday, April U�Spring Va-
cation ends, 9 a.m. First Flex-
ner Lecture, by Dr. Edwin Gay.
Goodhart, 8.30.
Tuesday, April 5 � Current
Events, Mr. Fenwick. Common
Room, 7.30.
Wednesday, April 6�Indus-
trial Group Supper. Common
Room, 6.30.
Lecturer Discusses
Philosophy of India
Mr. Spiegelberg Denies Terms
Usually Applied by Writers
To Orientals
LAUDS YOGA IDEOLOGY
The Deanery, March 20.�Frieder-
ich Spiegelberg spoke in the Deanery
on What India Has to Offer Us Today.
Defining first what he meant in his
statement of the subject, he analyzed
spurious versions of Indian teachings
m the western world, and at the same
time pointed out what we could learn
to advantage from "India's highest
thinkers."
The use of "offer" in the statement,
of his subject Mr. Spiegelberg found
misleading because what literally is
offered is perhaps of least value. He
cited as "a little too much offered"
The Heritage of India, a well-known
document of Indian thought today, and
branded this compilation of the work
of 100 scholars as an attempt to prove
the supremacy of Indian thought.
Several widespread misinterpreta-
tions of Indian teachings are based on
ideas actually possible only in a west-
ern civilization. "Resignation," used
as a blanket word to typify an Indian
attitude, is an example of this kind of
mistake. Rejected in Christian
thought and western philosophies,
nevertheless, he claimed, resignation
could exist only in the West. A re-
signed person is one who accepts his
disappointments and no longer strives
to overcome them. This acceptance of
evil is purely western. People in In-
dia, said Mr. Spiegelberg, do not flee
the world but overcome it. Misfor-
tune is unreal and to be vanquished
by non-recognition.
Study of the "elaborate doctrine"
of Yoga meditation leads to the re-
vision of our "too-much secular no-
tion of reality." We are forced to
recognize a mythical consciousness
manifest in dreams and neurotic phe-
nomena. These "deep chaotic realms"
are never ignored in India.
One of the greatest obstacles to
presenting Indian thought to the Occi-
dent is a language discrepancy. In
Sanskrit, for instance, the words are
so highly specialized that our modern
languages cannot reproduce them.
The Scholastics, with their elaborate
systems of the soul's progress, have
the most adequate variety of wbrds,
and for that reason one great San-
skrit scholar does all his translating
into medieval Latin.
Another distorting element in the
representation of Indian ideas is the
western mania for emphasizing the
exotic, expressed in Heine's fantasies
and in the numerous modern studies
on Yoga. The authors of these books
are concerned with things not typical
of "highest Indian thought" Buddha
always rejected miracles. In a bud-
dhistic community the first crime
which makes a member liable to ex-
pulsion is the crime of claiming super-
natural powers and faculties.
A constructive interest in Yoga as a
means of achieving higher physical
and spiritual powers is evinced by the
analytical psychologists, notably Jung.
They realize that western people have
much to learn from the Yogi's fac-
ulty of diving deep into his soul.
"Yoga is trying to raise the deep-
est of our animal being up and up
and up . . . until at the top of the
forehead this power is going out like
Continued on *�**� Two
Intercollegiate Peace Institute Delegates
Discuss World Problems at Swarthmore
Dr. Blanshard Favors Collective Security as Best Method
To Prevent War; Factors Molding Our Foreign
Policy Discussed by Mr. Stone '
AIMS OF INSTITUTE
OUTLINED BY MORLEY
NECESSITY FOR SANE
' ANALYSIS EMPHASIZED
The aim of the Intercollegiate
Peace Institute at Swarthmore, Louise
Morley, '40, explained in an inter-
view, was to coordinate and discuss
student ideas on world affairs. The
two speeches by William T. Stone and
Harry F. Ward were both excellent.
Moreover, the five commission ses-
sions prepared by students from the
five colleges taking part necessitated
much jjluminating research on the
part oi the representatives*^
The council presented a true cross-
section of undergraduate opinion,
shading from deep red to conservative
white. To Bryn Mawr the contact
with these ideas which seldom pene-
trate the campus was especially in-
structive. Mr. Herbert A. Miller, the;
resource leader of the Bryn Mawr!
commission group, gave constructive j
aid in guiding and preparing dis-i
cussion.
The institute was planned by a
committee of students from Swarth-I
more, Temple, Cheney State College, \
West Chester Teachers' College and:
Bryn Mawr. Five members of this!
committee had been working previ-l
ously to draw up plans for a regional
United Peace Committee similar to the
National United Peace Committee.
This regional committee will be elected
from the Youth organizations of the
district which are interested in
peace.
After the plan was approved and
adopted by the institute, Louise Mor-
ley was elected chairman. The work
of the new committee will coordinate
the peace activities of schools and col-
leges in this area. At the first meet-
ing, the new chairman expects to
draw up plans for unifying the April
27 demonstration so that any action
taken on that day will be part of a
concerted move. The first English
Peace Day was held on this date last
year and it is hoped that it may be-
come an international demonstration
in the future.
Maids, Porters Produce
Dunsany's ' Mr. Faithful'
Huldah Cheek Directs Capably;
Between-Act Specialties
Wittily Sung
Goodhart Hall, March 17.�The
maids and porters, under the auspices j
of tlie Bryn Mawr League, entertained j
the college with a lively production of
Lord Dunsany's Mr. Faithful. Al-
though the particularly British wit-
ticism of the lines did not wholly
coincide with the sense of humor of
the cast, the places whe/e these die-
come together were excellent, while
either was able to stand alone. Slow-
ness on their cues was the chief flaw
in the actors' otherwise smooth and
spirited performance. Between the
scenes Louise Simms, of Wyndham,
and Carl Smith sang.
The story concerns a Captain John-
son who, in order to wed a profiteer's
daughter, must hold some kind of job
for six months. His service as watch-
dog, under the name "Mr. Faithful,"
results in many ridiculous situations
and provides excuse for much social
commentary of the early 20s. Thej
moral, if it may be called such, isj
that although a man makes an efficient i
watchdog, the conventional animal |
causes less-publicity.
�Denbigh's John Whittaker took full
advantage of the comedy in his part
as the watchdog. His canine enthusi-
asm reached a peak when he bounded
in front of his master shouting, "Sir |
Walter's going for a walk�hooray, |
hooray, hooray!" Hilda Green, also;
of Denbigh, was assured and charm- f
ing as the profiteer's daughter, and!
Continued on P��� Four
Swarthmore, March 19.�Students
from 31 schools and colleges took part
in the Intercollegiate Peace Institute
entitled 'Through Education to Peace.
Delegates worked on five commissions
treating various aspects of the peace
situation in the world today, and were
addressed by Dr. Brand Blanshard,
Professor of Philosophy at Swarth-
more, and William T. Stone, of the
Foreign Policy Association.
Despite wrangling over parliamen-
tary procedure, and clashes between
the opposing forces of collective secur-
ity and isolation, the conference finally
reached a somewhat unified* ^pinion.
Eleven resolutions were passgjkTouise
Morley, '40, was elected�i!r5airman of
the B|anning Committee for the newly
organized United Student Peace Com-
mittee in this area.
The delegates were welcomed by
Dean Harold E. B. Speight, of Swarth-
more, who emphasized the fact that
students should contribute to public
opinion in this country. But to carry
weight, student discussions should be
marked by the keenest intelligence,
and should be both sane and objective.
Following Dean Speight, Mr. Blan-
shard addressed the conference on the
Alternative Roads to t{eace. There
are three such roads, he pointed out,
pacifism, neutrality, and collective se-
curity. Each has its arguments and
objections.
Pacifism believes that force should
not be resorted to under any circum-
stances to settle disputes. Defenders
of this doctrine maintain that it is a
requirement of the Christian position,
especially of the Society of Friends;
that it is required by the intellectual *
and moral nature of man; and that it
is effective.
However, there are answers to these
pacifist arguments. The Christian
position does not absolutely require
this view, for while Jesus loved man-
kind, He also hated iniquity. Dr. Blan-
shard maintained that there comes a
point beyond which tolerance cannot
be extended.
Among the Friends may be found
prominent men who advocated the
most extreme force to right injustice.
"The use of reason is all right if one
is dealing with rational, moral be-
ings." "But, when is a creature really
rational and moral?" asked Professor
Blanshard. "Proofs that pacifism does
not work may also be found in his-
tory. Force too often does not work,
and truth crushed to earth does not
rise again."
Neutrality, the second road to peace,
demands that we deliberately keep out
of war by obliterating all possible
points of contact with warring na-
tions. It rejects both pacifism and
militarism.' It believes that munitions .
and necessities of war should not be
sent to either side; that citizens
should not be allowed to volunteer for
either side; that enemy ships should
not be permitted in our ports; and
that our own ships should not be per-
Contlnued on Pa�� Six
MAJORITY IN PLEBISCITE
SAYS "PRESERVE HOOPS"
The College News plebiscite on the
hoops resulted in a decision of 184
to 113 to "preserve" the tradition. The.
ajternative was to "destroy" it, not
necessarily implying destruction of the
hoops. Pembroke East and the
French and German houses were most
evenly divided in opinion; the former
was 22 to 21, against, the latter, six to
seven, in favor of preservation. Pem-
broke Wast was 40 to 26, Denbigh 44
to 17, Merion 27 to 17, and Rockefeller
46 to 25, all for preservation. At least
25 voters were for compromise of some
sort. The issue will hot be considered
closed until opinion has been further
clarified.